"Victor!" He groaned and stood up, absentmindedly patting Corbierre on the head as he left his office. "What is it now Trudy?" Trudy looked up from the front hall, "Oh Victor, I'm terribly sorry, but I have to go. Family matters. I'll be back but, oh I hate to ask, the kids are sick." Victor took a deep breath, "That was not a question Trudy." Trudy actually glared at him, a rarity from the bubbly housemother, "Victor you know what I mean. Fabian, Eddie, Jerome, Alfie, Amber, Joy, Patricia, Mara, Nina, they're all sick! The flu no doubt, it's going around, but it seems all the children have caught it!" Victor knew where this was going, and he wasn't about to stop his plans, just to take care of a bunch of sick teenagers. Trudy continued to pull her suitcase towards the door, laying a hand on the handle, "Victor, I really must go. I'll be back." She opened the door and left, leaving him standing over the foyer, hands on the banister. He closed his eyes, "VERA!"
Vera set down her book, descending the stairs of the attic. She passed the doors of the kid's rooms and opened the door from the hallway to the top of the stairs. "Yes Victor?" She lowered her voice, "Have you found anything else about the mask?" Victor sighed, "There's been a snag in our plans. The children are sick." Vera's face fell and Victor rubbed his own face with his hands, "Naturally this would be the perfect time to get ahead of the miscreants on interpreting the clues, but as it were Trudy left on family business and left me in charge of them." Vera nodded, "Then, we must take care of them." It wasn't a question. Victor nodded and sighed, "Unfortunately," he muttered.
Vera had made chicken soup in less than half-an-hour and Trudy had left medicine for the children to take. If he'd known it would be this frustrating, Victor would have shut himself away in his office the minute any of the children sneezed. He was sitting on the edge of Amber's bed, trying to get her to take the medicine and Amber was blatantly refusing, closing her mouth tight and shaking her head back and forth so fast it was a wonder she wasn't dizzy. "Please Ms. Millington it's one spoonful." His voice was almost pleading. Amber just continued to shake her head. He refrained from letting out a growl and instead stood up. "She's not going to take it." He turned to Nina, who was sitting up in bed and reading a book. She coughed and then blew her nose, "But I'll take some." Victor shrugged and poured a spoonful, handing it to the American who swallowed it with a small grimace and then left the room. "Amber we've got to get better quick if we want to find the mask." Victor scowled, irritated that the children were still trying to find the mask even in their present state. But that was their teen stubbornness for you.
Vera wasn't faring any better. Alfie wanted his pillows adjusted every seven seconds and Jerome just lay on his back, moaning for Trudy. "For the last time Jerome, sweetheart, Trudy is not here. I'm here. I'll take care of you." Jerome let out another moan, "But Trudy always made us soup and-" "Jerome I made you soup!" Jerome flopped down on the bed, pillow covering his face, "Trudy's soup was better."
"VICTOR! VERA! VICTORVERAVICTORVERAVICTORVERA!" Victor slammed the door open, "What is it now Ms. Millington?" Amber pouted, crossing her arms, "Don't shout I'm sick." Victor growled and Amber's pout increased, "I want more tea." Victor turned to go, "Very well." "And Victor!" He turned, fixing her with a glare. Amber smiled sweetly, "Thank you." His face softened slightly and he grunted, leaving the room. Stepping into the hall and closing the door, he walked straight into Vera. "Oh, I'm sorry Victor. Patricia wanted more blankets and I was just bringing them to her..." She trailed off as he cast an amused eye over the large pile of blankets in her arms. He cleared his throat rapidly, "She requested a blanket and you brought her every one we own?" Vera adjusted her hold on the pile, "Yes well, the sooner they get well the better." Victor nodded, "Well Ms. Millington requests some tea and I really must get it to her." Vera nodded and they went their separate ways, each to attend to another student's needs.
It was hard to believe it had been three days since Trudy had gone and the children had only just recovered. Trudy returned late the second night and as breakfast began on the third day, the usual hustle and bustle had returned. Victor stood on the bottom most stair, waving the thank-you's of the children off and almost getting knocked down when Amber came down the stairs. "Yay! All better!" She gave Victor a hug in her excitement and he stiffened, "On your way Ms. Millington." Amber rushed past him and out the door after the others. It closed with a bang and Trudy entered the room, "Well I'm off to the library. Ring if you need me." She left after the children, leaving Victor alone in the foyer. He let out a sigh of relief, heading back up to his office. "Well Corbierre, the children are well and the search for the mask continues." He coughed slightly and began reading over the clues again. He coughed again and then again, each time a little louder until he was coughing quite violently. He relented and stood up, feeling rather hot. He made his way to the kitchen for a drink, absently placing the back of his hand to his forehead. It was hot, and as he swallowed, his throat hurt. Realization dawned on him. "Vera!"
Vera sat up in her bed, a box of tissues on one side and the waste basket overflowing with used ones. She blew her nose and added one to the pile. Her nose was stuffy and she had a terrible cough, as well as being cold and hot all at the same time… "Oooooh," she groaned, laying back on her pillow and admitting to herself that she was sick. With the flu. She groaned again as a knock sounded on her door and she started to get up but a round of nausea overcame her and she simply waved vaguely to the door, muttering, "Come in." Victor opened the door and practically stumbled inside her room, coughing as he did. Vera sat up, "Victor? Are you sick too?" He nodded and sat down, coughing again and grabbing one of the tissues she handed to him. He groaned and closed his eyes, "Those miscreants got us sick. And now we must wait in finding the mask." Vera rubbed his arm soothingly, "Well, at least we're sick together. You know the saying misery enjoys company."